Accept No Substitute (unless the original is still frozen)
by warrior of the nile
Summary: But still, Tony cannot help but wonder sometimes, in the middle of the night, what his life would be like if Howard never took interest in him. If he decided Tony could never measure up to Captain America, no matter what. If he never reverse engineered to super soldier serum. What would Tony's life be like if he wasn't Captain America?


This story is based off a fill from the amazing imaginetonyandbucky tumblr page. I read it, fell in love and then had this haunt me for two weeks. The prompt is already filled and you guys should definitely check it out because a) it's awesome and b) what this story is based off of. Also, a word to the wise. Loki inserted himself into this story and refused to leave.

prompt: Imagine Steve never got unfrozen and Howard made Tony into the new Captain America. When Bucky breaks his programming and goes looking for his best friend, he finds Tony instead.  
link: imaginetonyandbucky. tumblr post/ 115963846641/ imagine-steve-never-got-unfrozen-and-howard-made [remove spaces, obviously]

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It starts when Tony is two years old. This is the first time he consciously remembers hearing about Captain America. Steve Rogers. A sickly kid from Brooklyn who became the world's first superhero and saved the world.

Tony rarely sees his Father (not Daddy, never that). Even at this young age, he knows how busy he is. How important he is. He doesn't have time to play with needy, whiny children. He is busy protecting America, building weapons. America needs him to keep them safe. That is much more important then telling Tony bedtime stories. Except when sometimes it isn't.

Sometimes Howard will take a break from his busy schedule and tell Tony stories instead. Stories about Captain America. About how brave and courageous and honorable and _good_ Steve Rogers was. He was the best man he ever met. The best. Captain America became a household name. His life story was akin to the myths of old used to teach children lessons. No Aesop's Fables, no wise old proverbs, none of that. Instead it was 'What would Steve do?' 'What would Steve think?' and 'Steve would have done better.'

Captain America was Tony's childhood hero. He tried so hard to be like him. If he was, maybe Father would spend more time with him. He liked Steve, but he doesn't like Tony very much. So Tony has to try harder to be better. Not only for Father, but for Captain America. He can't disappoint him.

He learns to love Steve Rogers long before he ever learned to hate him. Before any bitterness crept in. Before he realizes that he will never be good enough. Before all that, he is a little boy begging his Father for bedtime stories about his hero.

The first time is when he is two, but it's not the last. No, it's only the beginning.

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Things change again when Tony is seven. It is clear already that he is a young genius. He built his first circuit board at age four. He is six when he builds a complete motorbike engine. He sneaks into Father's workshop whenever he isn't paying attention. Or isn't home (so he has many chances). He reads book after book on engineering. His mind overflows with possibilities, limited only by his own incomplete knowledge and young body.

The media praises him. They call him a prodigy. A chip off the old block. An apple that doesn't fall far from the tree. Howard should be proud.

He isn't.

Howard doesn't want another engineering genius in the family. He wants another Captain America. So he begins training Tony. He hires tutor in mixed martial arts, boxing, gymnastics. Anything that Tony will need to know to be able to fight. To be strong. To be like Captain America. (Stark men are made of iron.) He pushes Tony out of the workshop and into the gym.

Not that he is there most of the time to do the pushing. That are what the tutors are for. He gets weekly progress reports sealed in a manilla envelope each week. He reads them with the status reports on the company or the details for the next expedition to look for Steve.

So Tony goes to bed sore, with bruises on his body, instead of motor oil. He becomes lean and quick and wiry. Any child chubbiness is ruthlessly stripped away. He has to study in secret, with Jarvis sneaking him books, at night. His days are filled with fighting and training and little comfort. His brain still spins, still spits out new ideas, but he now has to keep them hidden.

Howard slips in and out of his life during this time, offering criticism and new Captain America stories when he has met the older man's crushing standards. Steve Rogers is still Tony's hero, but he wishes he didn't have so big of shoes to feel. He begins to wonder if he will ever be able to. If he will ever be good enough.

He begins to doubt so.

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The biggest change comes when Tony is ten. Howard had been home more in the past few months then he ever was. He would come out of the workshop only sparingly for food and a quick shower, maybe sleep, before he would rush back in. Tony had no idea what he was working on. He hadn't been in the workshop in a year.

Then, one day, four months after Tony turned ten, Howard emerged from the workshop triumphant. He pulled Tony from his lesson, a first, and took him back in with him. He directed Tony into one of the corners where there was new equipment sent up, including a medical table and needles. A sinking feeling starts to form in Tony's stomach.

Howard directs him to the table with a wave of his hand as he fills the needles up with bright blue liquid. Then he comes over and straps Tony down.

"I have finally done it!," he tells his son excitedly, "I have finally managed to reverse engineer the super soldier serum. This will make you even more like Steve. Now keep still, this may sting."

Tony grits his teeth to stop himself from begging. For one thing, how can Howard (because he is no longer Father) be completely sure? And for another, this isn't just going to sting. Tony has heard the stories. Even Steve Rogers screamed.

And so does Tony. He tries so hard not to. He really does. But it hurts worse then anything he has ever felt. It is ten times worse then when he broke his femur. No, not ten. More. Much, much more. Howard doesn't stop until all five needles have been injected. Tony screams until his voice is hoarse. He screams until he eventually passes out.

He wakes up in his bed and is told he has been asleep for a week. He is a disappointment. Steve never screamed liked that. He never passed out after it was done. He was up and running over half the city. He also grew a significant amount. Tony didn't. The most he gained was a few inches and ten more pounds.

It takes three days and a broken dining room table (the whole twenty feet completely shattered and splintered) for anyone to realize the serum did affect Tony. It may not have been exactly like the original formula, but it was close enough.

Tony's training is stepped up then. New tutors are hired, tougher and even more strict then before. The expectations become even greater, as well as the chance for disappointment. Tony no longer goes to bed bruised and sore because the serum takes care of that. He still studies engineering because he requires less sleep now. He hides under the covers and devours any and all books he can get his hands on. He makes notes and sketches in the margins. He dreams. He plans. It becomes his escape.

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Tony gets his first real birthday present in years when he turns thirteen. (Of course Jarvis always gave him something, but he was the only one.) He got The Shield. Or, not _The Shield_ , but as close as a copy as Howard can make it. Which is pretty damn close.

So training now has a whole new set of rules and forms to learn. But Tony doesn't mind. He _likes_ using the shield. It takes physics and math to use it. It can't just be thrown on a whim. There are angles and force and trajectory to take into account. Captain America had to be _smart_ to use this shield. Howard always said what a brilliant strategist Steve was, but he never said anything about the brains it took to use the shield. And Howard has to know. He knows about this better than Tony does.

But maybe he doesn't. Maybe he's never thought of it before. Maybe he only thought of it from an engineering prospective and not a fighting one. Either way it helps Tony's mind in a way just fighting never did.

One day he accidentally puts his tutor through a wall. The next day Howard takes him into SHIELD. Nick Fury, not yet Director, but Assistant, takes one look at the two Starks and sighs. "Oh Howard, what have you done?" He then puts Tony in the training sessions all new agents take.

Tony gets to work.

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Tony is sixteen the first time he officially puts on the suit. He is sixteen and has just finished throwing an all out bash at his house at MIT. Howard was against him going at first. But the world had expectations. And he could hardly tell them he is training his heir to be the next Captain America and not the next CEO. Before he had told anyone who asked that he was giving him private lessons. He wanted to teach his genius son himself. So he could excel. The press ate it up.

Funny how far simply glossing over some of the finer details can go when you are rich.

But when Tony finished high school courses at age fourteen, it became clear something else was going to have to be done. It took a year, but he was enrolled at MIT. Howard bought him a house, complete with a training room and a schedule of SHIELD tutors he had to work with on top of classes.

He gained a reputation for himself on campus as a playboy and a partier. He had an image to maintain after all. No one could know what his real training was. He had to be the young rich Stark heir. Captain America should never be a thought that enters people's minds.

Not to say he didn't enjoy himself. Because why not drink? It wasn't as if he could get drunk. Why sleep? It wasn't like he needed more than four or so hours a night. Why not eat all the crappy pizza he wanted? He had to eat so much during a day it hardly mattered, as long as he got the calories. And why not bed all the girls (and guys) who wanted him? With a stamina like his, why not? It would be criminal to let it go to waste. A recovery period that fast is a gift from the gods when you are a horny teenager.

So for a year he goes to classes for engineering and training to take up the mantle of the country's first superhero. In between he parties and drinks and sleeps around. Howard isn't happy about it, but it's one hell of a cover. Who expects the spoiled rich boy to be Captain America?

But on his sixteenth birthday, he gets the suit. He is now a man. It is time to prove himself. Hours later he is on his first mission. Tony can tell it is a test. To see if he can handle it. He can. It is so easy for him, he wonders why he had to train so hard to begin with. It was like taking candy from a baby. Of course logically he knows that it will only get harder after this. But he is a Stark after all. Modesty is not in their vocabulary.

Now, instead of training, he has missions. He is shipped, first, all over the country, and then all over the world for missions. Covert missions still. The public cannot know yet. No one can know. Not the public, not the media, not his classmates. Not even his (only) friend Rhodey. No one. He begins to feel like Clark Kent. Or Bruce Wayne, rather. Much more appropriate. But one thing about those comics – it is a lot easier to hide in them than it is in real life.

In real life he has the media on his tail. He is always in the limelight. So he gives them things to talk about. He is a genius, he is expected to be eccentric. He is rich, he is suppose to be spoiled. And if they are talking about his outrageous scandals, they don't notice his less outlandish behavior. And anything odd about him that day can be easily swept away.

It is not the life he would have had if Howard had never intervened. But it is still close. He can still create in between missions. He is still learning about his passion as well as continued lessons on strategy and leadership. He still has one true friend who thinks him very odd indeed. But still, Tony cannot help but wonder sometimes, in the middle of the night, what his life would be like if Howard never took interest in him. If he decided Tony could never measure up to Captain America, no matter what. If he never reverse engineered to super soldier serum (mostly). If he would have ignored Tony entirely.

What would his life have been like then?

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Tony is twenty one when his parents die. Two months later he is the youngest CEO in charge of a Fortune 500 Company. He doesn't mourn Howard's death. He is glad he will never have to see his disapproving face again. Even after all these years, he was never proud of Tony. Never thought he lived up to the legacy he set up for his son. Ever the disappointment.

He doesn't grieve for Maria either. Maybe in another life he would have. But now she was only a figure in the background, a shadow in the house. Howard was the main figure even when he wasn't present. Maria was more of a ghost to him than Steve Rogers ever was.

Six months after that, Tony is kidnapped. Or, rather, the group of mercenaries _think_ they are kidnapping him and he just goes with it. He could have stopped them of course, but what better way to get information than in the den of the lion itself. So he plays the weak and sassy spoiled genius everyone expects, finds out they somehow illegally bought his weapons and blows their hideout to kingdom come with said weapons. Then he goes MIA for the next few months tracking down the rest of them and finding out who is responsible for this mess in the first place.

It is exhilarating, in a way. Here, Tony doesn't have backup. He doesn't have his uniform. He doesn't have his shield. All he has is his mind and the computers he borrows. Never before has Tony been able to use his mind like this. Always, he was held back by the expectations of Captain America. Here and now he is able to stretch his legs. See what he can really do. And what he can do is a hell of a lot more impressive then what he can do in the uniform. At least, it is to him.

At the end of the road is Obadiah Stane, Howards' business partner. Tony... can't really say he is surprised. He hadn't had much contact with Stane, Howard kept him too busy for that. After all, his legacy wasn't the Company, no matter what everyone assumed. But the few times he did meet him, he was thoroughly creeped out. The man showed just a little too much interest in him for Tony's peace of mind. His smiles were just a little too broad and his enthusiasm just a little too much.

Too bad Howard never told his business partner just what he was really up to with his son. That might have made him rethink this 'clever' plan. Oh well, less work for Tony now.

So he cleans shop so to speak and turns up at SHIELD HQ four months after that. Fury isn't impressed, but when is he ever? Tony is sure he rues the day Howard thought up this bright idea.

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He had thought about it, right after Howard died. About giving it up. About quitting. Let SHIELD find a new performing monkey to dance to their tune. They are sure to be thrilled. Tony is no one's idea of an ideal soldier. (What is ironic, what really cracks Tony up at night, is what people forget. They remember the legend, not the man. They forget that Steve Rogers wasn't any ones ideal back then either.)

This was Howard's legacy. It doesn't have to be Tony's. He's no superhero after all. Not really. The only thing special about his powers came out of a bottle. He takes more pride in his brains then in his bronze. He is a genius, he can pick up the Company where Howard left off. Hell, he can improve it. And it would make his life a lot less complicated. Rhodey still doesn't know.

In the end, he knows he can't. He can't walk away. Not because of Howard or SHIELD or the public. He does it for a sickly kid from Brooklyn who wanted to change the world. Tony doesn't have many ideals, but he does have that.

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The team doesn't form all at once. The first two – Barton and Romanov – are already SHIELD agents. Tony doesn't mind Barton. He's a wise crack who can roll with Tony's humor. Romanov, on the other hand... well, that's not the best relationship at first, shall it be said. Tony knows that the words 'not recommended' are involved. Too bad Howard made sure they can't exactly replace him. He didn't leave notes on his work on the serum. The one good thing he did.

Banner he recruits himself. He had read his work before the accident and thought it was brilliant. And then the accident happened and he wanted to meet with him even more. For one thing, the man could now change into a giant green rage monster (that part was kinda cool. Admittedly not the part where he almost destroyed Harlem, but Tony blames Ross for that part.)

For another, General Ross was the another wannabe trying the recreate the super soldier serum and Banner was the casualty. Tony thought maybe he could help him. Or, you know, bond over assholes who exposed them to dangerous shit and expected it to go well. Yes, he is still pissed at Howard for injecting him with the untested formula, why do you ask?

Thor... Well, Thor just kinda of happened. He was gone by time Tony got to the scene the first time and when he came back... Fury wanted to interrogate him. Tony invited him to join the team. Fury's one good eye still twitches about that sometimes. Hey, it worked out well, didn't it?

Loki worked out well too, no matter what the others say. For one thing, there was no way the Trickster was _actually_ trying to take over anything, let alone Earth. For another thing, after Tony whacked him in the face a couple of times with the shield to break his connection with Thanos, he had a great sense of humor. He isn't going to tell the others that though.

Nor is going to tell them he let Loki escape on purpose. So what if he pops up now and again to turn all of the trees in Central Park hot pink or set giant rabbits loose on the city? All the more fun. Because really, their bantering is three quarters of the battle and stopping his mischief is the other fourth. (Alright, so maybe they already suspect he let the god go. But Tony will never confirm this. He may or may not have a soft spot for him. In another life, Tony is an inventor and that means chaos, not order.)

Plus, you know, the more he can piss of Fury, the better.

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It's a real shock when, one day, a team finds a frozen plane in the Arctic. A very old World War II era plane. With a very famous popsicle on board. At first everyone thinks that they finally have a body to bury. Tony is formally presented with the original shield. The Shield. The first moment alone he gets, he has a major fanboy moment. (One to almost rival Coulson's.)

But then the scientists say he is alive. Cryopreservation. The good Captain is literally a popsicle. A capsicle. Everyone is in awe at first. Then they get to work. Most of the scientific mind power of SHIELD works to awaken Captain America. It's all anyone can talk about.

The initial results are disheartening, but still promising. This isn't going to be a simple fix, but there is a solution out there. It won't be fast process nor an easy one, but there is hope. There is a way for him to survive the procedure. It is possible. But it could take a few years before they are completely sure. After all, no one wants to be responsible for killing Captain America.

As everyone celebrates, Tony fades into the background. The last thing he wants is for people to remember him right now. Because he already sees what will happen. Steve Rogers will be awakened and brought up to speed. He will adjust to this new century. And then he will take his rightful place as leader of the Avengers. Tony will be tossed to the wolves, left to fend for himself. The public – and the media – will eat him alive.

Tony's days are now numbered.

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When Tony gets a visit from none other than James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes looking for his best friend who he thinks is Tony because apparently _he_ is still alive if a bit worse for wear, well... It's a rather interesting day. Of course he makes him back his story up. And of course he _does_ technically recognize him after the first initial shock of it all. But he has to make sure.

So Bucky tells his story. Or what he can remember of his story. Parts of it are still a bit blurry for him. But it makes sense. A sickening sort of sense, but it doesn't make it any less true. Tony almost wishes he were lying. Because that would make this all easier to bare. As it is, he feels his lunch protesting in his stomach. HYDRA.

Fucking HYDRA. It feels like some absurd plot twist actually. Like, oh by the way, that person you thought was dead in episode five? Yeah, he's coming back in episode twenty. Because you never believe they are dead before you see the body, thoroughly check the body and then decapitate it just to be sure. But how can you decapitate an organization? Chop one head off and two more grow back.

Looks like they are going to need some serious fire to finish the job. Who knows how many heads it has now? People had cut it far too blindly back in WWII and they had decades to regrow and to strengthen.

So, next project, take down HYDRA without causing a national spectacle, making sure they burn them to the ground and leave SHIELD at least semi intact (ish). Good thing he knows just who to call.

But first he needs to sneak the former part-time popsicle into SHIELD to see the full-time capsicle. Sounds like a good time to Tony.

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That night Tony lets the implications sink in. HYDRA is back. No, not back. HYDRA never left. He had been working for HYDRA since he was thirteen years old. They knew who he was. No one besides SHIELD knew who he was. Well, the team did, but he was never really around them without the uniform on. He wasn't comfortable. It had been drilled in his head for decades, ever since Tony first started training, not to tell anyone. It was unnerving enough finally letting Rhodey know. (And oh boy was he _pissed_ at first.) It was even worse telling Pepper Potts, his old PA turned CEO. He refuses to do it again.

Then there was Howard and Aunt Peggy. They had founded SHIELD. They ran it for years. It is because of them that HYDRA was able to regroup. And right under their noses as well. Oh the irony. The Great Howard Stark, good friend to Captain America – that fighter for freedom, justice and the American way – responsible for admitting the same organization that ultimately killed his beloved hero.

And Captain America himself – Steve Rogers. No wonder it is taking them so long to figure out how to unfreeze him. Tony feels sick just thinking about it. His only consolation is that he is actually fairly safe right now. They aren't going to do anything too dramatic and draw attention to themselves. Even after half a year, Steve is still the talk of SHIELD. So he is safe for now. In another year and a half or so... probably not.

Plus Bucky Barnes, still alive and brainwashed by HYDRA. The things he remembers. The things they had him do. The man is going to need a lot of therapy after this is all over. And possibly a new arm. Oh how Tony would love the chance to build him a new arm. It is like an engineer's wet dream come true. Not that he is an engineer, no matter that he has a degree in it. He only cameos as one. That's one of the reasons he made Pepper CEO. Plus, she does a better job at it then he ever could anyways.

Although now it looks like he is going to have his dance card freed shortly. After HYDRA is taken down, it probably won't take long for Steve to be unfrozen. That's going to leave him out of a job. Tony has to laugh at Bucky's optimism. He can hardly see Captain America defending his place to be Captain America. Who would back up their replacement like that?

Well, if Steve is actually like the stories he heard, he probably would. Because "it's the right thing to do" or some bullshit like that. But after Tony gives him it back? (After he recovers and he assures him that it's fine, of course. And makes sure he believes it because apparently Captain America is a stubborn ass.) Besides, once he sees who his replacement is, he'll probably take it back right away. Tony has never been under any illusion that he is worthy of this mantle. No one else is either.

And Bucky is going to be busy with his own recovery and with Steve. His best friend is going to be back from the dead basically. How can Tony compete with that? He can't. He isn't planning on trying either. So he isn't planning on help from that corner either, not matter what he said. It's a nice thought, but Tony doubts he'll follow through.

And that will leave Tony right where he always thought he would be. Out.

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Taking down HYDRA is, technically speaking, a pain in the ass. It involves a lot of computer work, tracing down minute details, going through decades of data and encryption. And not only that, not everything is on computer drives either. So the have to track down _paper files_ and _floppy disks_. The technological part of Tony's soul cringes at the mere thought of it.

It is a lot of legwork. It is a lot of espionage. It is a lot of patience. Too bad Tony never had much of the latter. So instead he enlists Loki's help on the promise of ensuing extreme chaos and gives the others his best shark grin before they can protest. If any of them would have protested his replacement before this, they probably aren't now.

The biggest problem with involving Loki is Thor. As in, he has to keep those two separated. Thor wants to be all brotherly and acceptance and understanding still and Loki wants to rip Thor's throat out. So Tony ends up spending most of his time with Loki and, surprisingly, Bucky. The former assassin seems to have no problems with the chaos god. Nor does he have any problems with Tony.

The three of them become ever so slightly attached at the hip. The others of the team look on in confusion and mistrust, but Tony is beyond caring at this point. Who cares what they think? He gives his position a year at the most before he gets the boot. He'll take whatever friendship he can take, however temporary it may be. (No he isn't lonely _or_ pathetic, shut the fuck up.)

He finds it interesting how Bucky and Loki seem to help each other. They bond over the experience of mind control/brainwashing and crappy sci-fi movies. And of course all three of them are pure sass, so they understand each other perfectly. Tony and Loki get into debates over science vs magic. For the first time, Tony is allowed, and encouraged, to fully dive into the subject when they aren't busy. Bucky is right there, reading along with Tony, if at a lower level yet. If it weren't for the axe hanging over Tony's – and everyone else's – head, it would be perfect.

But of course it can't stay like that forever. Things have to go wrong sometimes. From the first, they tried to keep a low profile. Stay in the shadows. The last thing they wanted to do was draw attention to themselves. Especially Tony. Tony, being Captain America, is HYDRA's number one enemy besides Steve. And considering Steve is currently a capsicle...

It's even worse because some of them know who he is. Sure, by now everyone knows the man behind the mask is a fake, but only top ranking agents know it is Tony. And no one is stupid enough not to think that HYDRA doesn't have any agents up top either. Naturally this means they know exactly where to hit.

To the rest of the world, Tony Stark is the Avenger's main financial banker. They live in Stark Tower, he builds them new weapons and protection, and he defends them to the media. It provides the perfect cover story if Tony is ever seen with them. As it turns out, that cover story is needed for a lot more than that.

In retaliation, HYDRA goes after Stark Industries. They go after Pepper. They go after Rhodey. Tony is beyond furious. Tony is _pissed._ Loki gets a gleeful look in his eyes when he sees the genius' reaction to the news. The others simply suit up. They know what that look means. They know there is no room for reasoning, no breath to waste on protests now. That look only means one thing. Tony is going to burn. Them. To. The. Ground. No one touches what is his and gets away with it.

In the end, fire is exactly what ends HYDRA. They learned too late they you do not mess with Tony Stark's stuff. It gets even worse when they try to reclaim Bucky. Then, not only do the have Tony on their ass, they have an enraged god as well. Possessiveness seems to be another one of those traits they share. Who knew?

When the dust of the battle clears, HYDRA is no more. Their last remaining HQ is dirt in the wind. The building is reduced to pebbles. The fire dies down because there is nothing left to burn. This is the last of them. Tony had made sure of it before everything came tumbling down. He will not make the same mistake the last generation made. He will not be another Howard. HYDRA will be destroyed if it is that last thing he does.

And he did it. He let's out a sigh of relief. It's done. After ten long months of work and sweat and blood, it's done. It seems too good to be true, almost. Like it isn't true, even though Tony's brain is telling him it is. After decades of hiding, the beast is finally decapitated and burnt.

Pepper and Rhodey are fine, miraculously. Some bruises and minor cuts, but fine. Pepper is beyond pissed about being kidnapped and yells at him for a good half hour before the others are brave enough to step in. Tony takes it as a good sign and promises her a new wardrobe for her troubles. Rhodey just grins and asked him what took him so long. He has some great friends.

Bucky has a massive migraine, but that won't last long with the serum. Fortunately they weren't able to re-brainwash him, though the did try. Hence the headache. Tony had literally ripped the restraints off of the chair they had him shackled to. He can admit he finally understands the turn 'seeing red' because Tony did. He doesn't remember much, but Loki tells him he was magnificent. That should probably worry him slightly. With Loki, that is never a good thing.

But Tony is so relieved to see Bucky alive and well, he doesn't put much thought into his next actions. But he remembers them. Oh boy does he ever. He drags Bucky out of the damn chair and proceeds to kiss him senseless.

Of course this isn't the first time Tony has thought about doing this. He has, for months now. But he never acted on it. Never expected to act on it. He was going to be replaced soon, wasn't he? (No, Howard didn't do a good job of instilling any sense of self-esteem into his young son. Can you tell?)

Bucky kisses back just as desperately and as fiercely. As if he never wants to stop. In the middle of all the blood and all the destruction, a new thing is born. Naturally the moment is ruined first by Loki, then by an explosion and lastly by Pepper. There's no coming back from the last one.

Fury is, well pardon the pun, _furious_ when he hears just was has been happening behind his back and why SHIELD is down to less the half its operating power. Tony helpfully points out that they were the evil super secret organization inside his super secret organization anyways. So really, they deserve a 'thank you', not a lecture. The vein in Fury's head throbs. Tony counts that as the ultimate success.

Back at the Tower the team goes to their floors to collapse in exhaustion. Bucky and Loki naturally follow Tony up to the penthouse. Loki goes to his room with a threat of death if they dare wake him with any obscene noises. Bucky makes a farting sound in retaliation and shuts the door before Loki can reply. Tony gives a tired grin. Bucky climbs into Tony's bed as if this is something he always does and beckons the genius with a finger.

They end up spooning, Bucky wrapped around him. Tony would object to being the little spoon, but he has no energy left for it. Plus, in the far back corner of his mind, he can admit it feels nice. It gives him hope. Maybe he can have this. At least for a little longer.

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Defrosting Steve Rogers takes another three months. Which is still short of the two year mark, but not by that many months. Still, it counts. When the news comes, Tony isn't sure how to feel about it. Bucky insists on being there and Tony makes no protests. The poor guy is going to be disorientated as hell when he wakes up. Tony would want a familiar face around him too, if he was going to be told he had been asleep for seventy years. Loki, who is still surprisingly at the Tower, doesn't leave Tony's side.

The three of them aren't one to talk about emotions and insecurities easily. None of them like feeling that vulnerable. But a certain amount of trust has developed between them and things inevitably slip out. Tony has never talked about his fear of being replaced, but he is sure the other two know it by the way Loki hovers around him, trying to seem natural. And succeeding mostly, but Tony knows the god too well by now to know it isn't. And isn't that a scary thought?

Bucky had been elated when he left and promised to introduce the two as soon as possible. He is still so sure Steve will be on his side. Tony isn't holding his breath, but he nods and gives the other man a heated kiss before he goes.

The genius and the god end up on the couch, binge watching old episodes of Doctor Who. Bucky texts later that night, saying he won't be home. He is staying with Steve because he isn't taking it too well and being around Bucky is the only thing that helps. Tony understands. He really does. His stomach just needs to get the memo, is all.

Loki drags him down to the gym to spar before he can think about it too much. Fighting Loki is always a delight. Neither of them are head on fighters, despite that fact both are stronger than your average mortal (even though basically everyone Loki fights fits that category, Avengers excluded). It is always a full workout to take the god down, if he can. They are fairly matched, so it is never obvious who the winner will be.

Afterward they shower and Loki joins Tony in bed. While this isn't a regular occurrence, neither is it that much of a surprise. All three of them have collapsed in various places with each other before, when they were taking down HYDRA. Bed was not always a priority, so dozing off with and against one another was something they just accepted as fact and moved on.

Bucky comes home after three days, all grins and excitement and one hell of a 'I missed you' kiss. He tells them it'll take a few more days, but then Steve is free to go. Tony rolls his eyes and reassure his boyfriend that Steve can have his own floor before Bucky can even ask. He is glued to Tony's side the rest of the night, too hyped up to sleep, but not wanting to be too far from the genius. Loki mocks him and Tony rolls his eyes as the two of them banter.

So, by then end of this week he will have the original Captain America living in the Tower. This is going to be interesting. He still can't decide how he feels about the man. On the one hand, he was Tony's childhood hero. He wanted nothing more than to be like him. To make him proud. On the other, he is the shadow Tony has lived in his entire life. He was the impossible standard he has always been held to.

But Bucky promised to be there and Loki probably will be too, for the entrainment if for nothing else. Between the two of them, things shouldn't be a _complete_ disaster. Only a minor one.

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Well, Tony thinks, you know the saying about gods and plans. It seems like an appropriate thought, considering he just walked into the kitchen to find Steve Rogers already in it. Alone. With no one else to be seen. Great.

It has been a week since Steve moved in and thus far they have managed to post pone the introduction. Looks like has come to an end.

"Hey soldier," Tony greets.

"Stark?" Steve asks, a bit uncertainly.

"Yup."

"Thought so. You look just like Howard."

"That's what they tell me." And he always hated hearing it.

"He must have been so proud."

And that's how it goes from there. Howard will always be a sore subject for Tony, a mixture of relief and grief. Now Tony gets that to Steve, the war ended less than a month ago. He understands. Really. But somethings rub him the wrong way and apparently he found Steve's buttons real fast because it takes less then five minutes for them to start yelling at each other and another two for Tony to storm out in a rage.

He goes straight to the gym and starts on the punching bags. The worst part about this is that _this_ , this right here, was exactly what Tony was expecting. More disappointment and disapproval. What a fucking surprise. Just like having dear old Dad back again, breathing over his shoulder. Why he ever held any hope for a different outcome, he doesn't know. He should have known better. No one wants the generic when they can have the name brand. That's just simple logic.

Damn his fucking boyfriend for making him think he has a reason to hope. He knew this wouldn't last. He knew it. Tony breaks the bag and starts on the next one.

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After the gym, Tony retreats to his workshop. Over the past few months he had been putting it together along with Bucky and Loki. He had always wanted one. Being Captain America was his job. Engineering was his passion. Who cares if he no longer has a job, it frees up his time for what really matters. Right.

So far Tony has many little projects laying around. His best one so far is the holographic projectors he can manipulate midair. No more paper blueprints for him. The main project is a new arm for Bucky. He has been inside the other one and it is a disgrace. He knows he can do better than that. He knows he can.

He manages to stay in the workshop for four days before anyone intrudes. He knows it is Bucky, he has long grown use to his presence. He doesn't look up from his work, even when he comes over and wraps his arms around Tony's back.

"Sorry dollface," he mutter, "Punk is so damn stubborn sometimes. Like another punk I know," he adds.

Tony doesn't say anything.

Bucky sighs. "The idiot didn't know who you were. He knew you were a Stark, but nothin' else. Was waitin' for a good time to tell 'em you took up the shield too. Hadn't yet. He told me what he said. Punk can really stick his foot in his mouth."

Tony finally turns and rests his head on Bucky's shoulder. "He's an ass," he tells him.

Bucky nods in agreement.

They stay like that for a long moment before Bucky leads Tony back up for some actual food, a shower and sleep. Loki stares him down when he protests. He rolls his eyes at both of them. Mother hens. He will swear it till he's dead. Mother hens, both of them.

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Bucky and Loki are both there for the second conversation. It goes better than the first one. Technically. At least no one is screaming at each other. Tony still holds that Captain America is a bit of an ass though. Steve, apparently, agrees with him. Ha, ha. At least he knows he still has a spot on the team. And he has been reassured that he has Steve's full backing, whatever happens. The media will have to go through him if they want to get at Tony.

They aren't sure who will be Captain America from now on. Steve isn't sure if he wants the title back. This century is still so new to him, he wants to find his ground first. Which, fair enough. And if Steve ever does, who knows? Maybe Tony will build himself a flying suit of armor instead.

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End


End file.
